Mower



S. L. CLUETT.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Gtfouuq S. L. CLUETT.

- MOWER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1919.

Patented Dec. 2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Quueutoz SANFORD L. CLU'ETT, OF HOOSICK FALLS, NEW YORK.

ivrownn.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Dee-2, 1919.

Application filed February 17, 1919'. SeriaI No. 277,457.

To aZZ "Mil/OWL it may concern:

Be it known that I, SANFORD L. CLUETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoosick Falls, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowers. of which the followin is a s iecification.

not only its outer end butalso the inner end or main shoe will. droop into hollows or neprcssions of the ground without in any way disturbing the normal position and eflicient operation of the mower.

Second, to construct a mower in which the cutter bar as a whole will raise or lower according to the contour of the surface of the ground over which said bar is passing and insure that the cutting knives will be at all times as near possible to the ground, thereby cons ntly cutting the grass not only evenly out at the lowest height. I

Third, to construct a mower in which the cutter bar mechanism for gagging, raising and tilting is so simple and direct and with so few points for friction that a greater part of the weight of the cutter bar and connecting hinged frame is transferred to the wheels, thus giving additional traction with resultant augmented driving power for the cutting knives without in any way impairing the efliciency of; the cutter bar, which by its movements is following the contour of the surface of the'ground.

Fourth, to construct and arrange'a mower provided with a gagging, raising and tilting mechanlsm so that the floating gag lever, th'e swinging link and fulcrum supporting said gag lever, the pivoted points or connections of said swinging link with the hanger and floating lever and said floating gag lever with the lifter rod or link and cutter bar and movements of said parts; are substantially in a single vertical plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the mower, thereby efiecting a means in which all theresultantand cooperating forces acting during the manual lifting and lowering of the cutter baror au-- tomatic adjustment of said cutter bar during.

' theeutting operations ofwthe mower are capable of being carried outfdirectly with a minimum of friction and movement of saidpartsv I F fth, toconstruct a mower in which all the purposes and objects given above are fully carrled out and at the same time said" bar may be easily and quickly raised at the will of the operator by hand or foot power some six or eight inches from the ground at the inner end and some two feet or less at its outer end.

Sixth, to construct a mechanism of" the character referred to and capable of chi cientlycarrying out all the purposes and re sults described with a minimum number of simplest parts, said parts capable of being manufactured at a low cost, easily assembled or disconnected or repaired.

Seventh, other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description of the construction, relation and operationof the mechanism to be presently given;

lhe invention consists of structural cha-racteristics and relative arrangements of elements which willbe hereinaftermore fully described and particularly pointedout in the appended claims. I

In the two sheets of drawings in which,

similar reference characters indicate the same parts in the several figures,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a mower showing in full lines the cutter bar liftinganechanism when in itsnormal posltlon.

Fig. 2 -1s-a fragmentary and enlarged rear view of the: cutter .ba-r lifting mechanism, when in normalhorlzontal positlon in full lines, and'the position said mechanism assumeswhen the cutterbar is droop'ed'as indicatedin dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a similar view as Fig.2 showing in fulllines the position the cutter bar lifting mechanism takes when raised against the stop on main frame, and the dotted lines the position as'sumedwhen the cutter bar is ele:

vated to approximately a vertical position,

and

Fig. 4 1s a detached and perspective view of the floating gag lever and swinging link or fulcrum.

Inthe drawings, lOis onerof-the driving wheels, 11 the driving gear, 12 the gear case, 18 the mainframe: provided wi h the sleeve 1% containing the-"driving shaft, not shown. Attached to said frame the usual tongue and seat post 16, said parts referred to being of the usual construction and r f orining no part of the present invention.

17 is a drag bar hinged at 18 to said frame 13, the outer end of said drag bar being connected to push bar 19 which bar 19 as usual also pwotal y connected at its other end 20 to said frame 13, said push bar 19 and drag bar 17 forming a triangular-shaped frame with its base pivoted to the main frame 13.

()n the outer and free end of the drag bar 17 1S rotatably supported or car ied a hanger 21, having an outer perforated lug adapted to receive pin 23 which is capable of pivotally support-in g and carrying a shoe 2% to which is rigidly secured a cutter bar 25, having knives 26 as shown in dotted bar 17 to properly adjust the angular positions or plane of the cutter or finger bar as a whole with respect to the inclination ofthe ground, and when so correctly adjusted to lock the same in position by means of the quadrant 31 as is common in this class of iachines.

Pivotally supported in :1 lug 32 on the oscillatory hanger 21 by means of pin 33', a supporting link 34 adapted to form a swinging fulcrum at its'enchsaid link 3% being preferablydouble and U-shaped as shown in 35 is a floating gag lever pivotally supported intermediate its ends between the separated and free ends of the link 34; by a 36 and having one of its s hinged to suitable spaced lugs 37 on the inner side or edge of the shoe 24, by

means of a pin 38, as clearly illustrated in F 1. The other end of the floating gag lever 35, is pivotally attached by means of an adjustable lifter rod or link 39 to one arm bell crank 10 pivotally supported by means of a pin 41, rigidly attachedto a fixed part of the mower frame, or preferably to the tongue 15 as shown; The other arm of the hell crank a0 is connected by means of a yielding and balancing spring 42 with a rigid portion of the mower frame 13 or sleev 1 1C or to a hook 43 attached to the quad rant 31 asshown in Fig. 1, in such a manner as to be disposed in a plane with the plane of the bell crank for the purpose of permitting it to norn'ially act through said bell rank 4:0, link 39, floating gag lever 35, link and hanger 21 to transfer at all times a v greater part of the weight of the sameand either direction on the end of the drag,

1 ,seasse that of the cutter bar 25, drug bar 17 and push bar 19 to the wheels the me e the purposes of increasing the traction and hence the cutting power of the mower knives 26.

at is a foot lever and t5 which are likewise pivotally supported by pin 11 and connected to the bell crank ll) in such a manner that foot or hand power can be separately or both simu aneously transmitted in rocking the hell or i operate the cutter bar lifting Pchanism through its phases of movement to be presently disclosed. 4C6 a quad int coop r ating with the hand lever .uir lockir same in eiifnent positions when so dc refl and 17 indicates a stop on the trains, tongue 15 against which the drag bar 1? the triangular'shaped hinged frame abuts when the cutter bar lifting mechanism is 8 operated to elevate the same.

The operation of the invention is as follows Assuming the parts to be inthc normal horizontal position on the ground as shown in Fig. 1, and in full lines in E2, and it is desir d to lift the cutter bar the a hand lever hand lever 45 is pulled toward the operator.

arrested by coming in con I 47, and the different elen'ieins of the out bar lifting mechanism will assume the p: tions indicated in full lines in F 3, the cutter bar 25 having a small upward angle with the horizontal.

With the upward movement of the bar 17 stopped and the position the pin 33 on which thesupportingU-sl1aped link 34. pivot-s being nowfixed, on further appli cation of the same effort oft-he operatorto the hand'lev'er 45, the lower pin 36 or floating fulcrum end of the supporting link 3% passes from the inner side of a vertical line dropped from the center of pin 33, to the outer side of said ine, and during this phase of movement the inner portion of the floating gag lever 35 passes between the two arms of the U-shaped link 34 and comes in Contact with the pin 33 as clearly shown by dotted lines in 3,; a-nd in this position said pin 33 also acts as a stop, an'dprevents the cutter bar 25, which has been raised almost to avertical position, as indi" d by dotted lines in Figsil,durin jthis last described movementof the floating lever 35., link 34 and pin 36;"from moving too far inwardly and beyond the vertical and hence unable to automatically fall back to its norinal cutting position, as shown by full lines end of the floating lever is nearly ina horizontal plane and the lower end of the link or fulcrum pin 36, gradually approaches a line connecting the pivot pin 33 of the link 34 and the pin 38 connecting the floating lever 35 with the cutter bar 3%, thereby partially forming a toggle joint to such an extent that the cutter bar 25 is maintained very rigidly in a vertical position with littlecpull on the lifter rod or link 39, and hence when the cutter bar 25 has been raised to an approximately vertical position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, if the lifter rod or link 39 is depressed or lowered through hand lever 45, or otherwise, the removal of the upward pull or sustaining force exerted by lifter rod 39, allows said toggle joint to unlock and the cutter bar 25 is per mitted to unfold or lower to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and then as the lifter rod 39 continues in its downward path, both the cutter bar 25 and the drag and push bars 17 and 19 return to their nor'-.

mal positions as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 21 The dotted lines in Fig. 2 indicate the positions the hanger 21. floating gag ever 35,

supporting link 34 and movable fulcrum pin 36 assume when the cutter bar 25is drooped while cutting over a depression or hole in the ground or on the downwardly inclined side of a hill.

From the foregoing disclosure of the construction, and arrangement of the parts and their cooperation it will be seen that all the objects and advantages recited in the statement of invention have been fully carried out and accomplished with the simplest possible mechanism consisting of but two essential parts, namely. a floating gag lever and a swinging or oscillating member providing a movable support or fulcrum for said floating gag lever.

lVhat I claim is 2- 1. In a mower, the combination of a machine frame, a movable frame hinged to said frame. a hanger supported on the free end of said movable frame, a cutter bar hinged to said hanger, a supporting link having one end pivotally connected to said hanger and its other end forming a swing ing fu1crum,-. a' floating gag lever pivotally connected between itsendsto the' swinging fulcrum end'of said supporting link and having one of its ends'connected with said cutter bar, and means connected to. the other end of the floating lever, for rocking. it.

a cutterbar hinged to said hanger, a sup? porting link having one end; pivotally conneet-ed to said hanger and'its other end forming a swingingfulerum, a'floating gag lever pivotally connected between its ends to the swinging fulcrum end of said supporting link and having one of its ends connected with said cutterbar, and means connected to the other end of the floating gag lever'for rocking it on the swinging fulcrum of the.

supporting link and oscillating said supporting link on its pivotal support.

In a mower, the combination of a inachine frame, drag and push bars pivoted to .sahl frame, a hang-er l'Oti-lfflbly supported on I the free ends ,of said bars, a cutter bar hinged to said hanger. a supporting link having one end pivotallyconnected to said hanger and its other end forming a swinging fulcrum, a floating gag lever pivotalli,

connected between its ends to the swinging fulcrum end of saidsupporting'link and having one of its ends pi'votally' connected with said cutter bar, and means connected to the other end of the floating gag-lever for simultaneously rocking it on the swing mg fulcrum of the supporting link and oscillating saidvsupportiug link on :itspivotal support.

l. In a :lIlOlVGl', the combination'of a machine frame. 'a drag bar and a push bar pivoted to said frame, a hanger :rotatabl v supported on the free end of'said drag bar, a cutter bar hinged to said hanger, a pivotpin on said hanger, a supporting link having one end pivotally attached to said pivot pin and its other end forming a swinging fulcrum, a floating gag lever pivotally connected between its ends to the swinging ful- CZUlIl end of said suppor'ing link and having one of its encs connected with said cutter bar and its other end adapted to come in contact with said pivot pin, and means connected to the floating gag lever for rocking it on the swinging fulcrum of the supporting link and oscillating said supporting link on the pivot pin.

5. In a mower, the combination of a machine frame, a movable frame hinged to said frame, a hanger supported on the free end of said movable frame,'a cutter bar hinged to said hanger, a supporting link having one end pivotally connected to said hanger and its other end forming a swinging fulcrum, a floating gag lever pivotally connected between its ends to the swinging fulcrum end of said supporting link and having one of its ends connected with said cutter bar, said supporting link with its swinging fulcrum end and floating gag lever, and connections of said floating gag lever with said cutter bar and supporting link, being substantially in a single vertical plane normal to the longitudinal. axis of r the mower. I

6. in a mower, the combination of a machine frame, a drag bar having one of t; ends pivoted to said frame, a hanger supported on the free end of said dr bar, a cutter bar hinged to said hanger, a supporting link having its upper end pivotally con nected to said hanger and its lower end forming a swinging fulcrum, a floating gag lever pivotally connected between its ends to the lower swinging fulcrum end of said supporting link and having its outer end attached to said cutter bar, and means connected to the inner end of the floating lever for rocking said gag lever on the fulcrum end of said link and oscillate said supporting link on its pivotal connection with said hanger.

7. In a mower, the combination of a machine frame, a drag bar having one of its ends pivoted to said frame, a hanger rotatably supported on the free end of said drag hr, means for oscillating said hanger on said drag bar, a cutter bar hinged to said hanger, a supporting linkhaving its upper end pivotally connected to said hanger and its lower end forming a swinging fulcrum, a floating gag lever pivotally connected be tween its ends to the swinging fulcrum end of said supporting link and having its outer end attached to said cutter bar, and means connected to the inner end of the floating gag lever for rocking said gag lever on the swinging fulcrum end of said link and oscillate said supporting link on its pivotal connection with said hanger.

8. In a mower, the combination of a machine frame, a movable frame hinged to said frame, a stop on said machine frame, a hanger supported on the free end of said movable frame, a cutter bar hinged. to said hanger, a supporting link having one end pivotally connected to said hanger and its other end forming a swinging fulcrum, a

floating lever pivotally connected between its ends to the swinging fulcrum end of said supporting link and having one of its ends connected with said cutter bar, and means connected to the other end of the floating'gag lever for raising said movable frame against said stop and rocking said gag lever on the swinging fulcrum end of the supporting link and oscillating said supporting link on its pivotal connection.

9. In a mower, the combination of a machine frame, a drag bar liiaving one of its ends pivoted to said frame, a stop on said machine frame, a hanger supported on the free end of said drag bar and adapted to come in contact with said step, a cutter bar hinged to said hanger, a supporting link having its upper end pivotally connected to said hanger and its lower end forming a swinging ful crum, a floating lever pivotally connected between its ends to the lower swinging fulcrun'i end of said supporting link and having its outer end attached to said cutter bar, and means-connected to the inner end of the floating gag lever to abut the drag bar against said step and rock said gag lever on the fulcrum end of said link and oscillate said supporting link on its pivotal connection with said hanger.

' In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

SANFORD L. CLUETT. 

